In his opening speech, Ambassador Nino Perez emphasized the importance of empowering young voices in agricultural decision-making. Youth engagement in agribusiness leads to innovation and sustainability in Africa and Europe. He also addressed the challenges in agriculture: climate change and generational renewal, because without young African students and farmers with knowledge and skills there can be no sustainable future for agriculture.

The initiative aims to bridge the gap between policy and action, ensuring that the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs can make a lasting impact on the future of food production and security on the continent. At today's event in Addis, the results will be discussed with experts from the fields of politics, science, and finance. The findings will then be presented to policymakers, as the young agripreneurs continue to lead the way in shaping a sustainable and prosperous future for Africa's agricultural sector. The forum is under the patronage of the African Union (AU) and the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).

Only recently did the EU and AU launch the AU-EU Youth Lab program here in Addis Ababa. This initiative represents a major step forward in empowering youth voices in key decision-making processes so that youth are not only being heard but are also shaping the policies that will drive development in Africa and Europe.